Licence Requirements When Hiring a Car in the UK

To rent a car in the UK, you will need to possess a full driver's licence that you have held for at least 12 months at the time of rental. Expired licences will not be accepted.

If you have any penalty points on your licence, you will need to check with the car rental company to see if you are still eligible to rent. In some cases, up to six points for minor traffic offences may still be acceptable.

European Union driver's licences are generally accepted, however if the licence is printed in the non-Roman alphabet, you may also need to provide an International Driving Permit along with your licence from your country of residence.

Renters with a paper licence must also show photo ID such as a passport. Renters with a non-UK driver's licence may also be required to present their passport.

For UK residents, the address on their driver's licence must be updated, and in some cases renters also must provide a utility bill that confirms the address. UK residents with a foreign licence must apply for a UK licence after 12 months, or they will not be permitted to drive.

You may need an International Driving Permit . . .

If you have a driver's licence that is not printed in the Roman alphabet (eg. Japanese) you may be required to also present an International Driving Permit, along with your original driver's licence from your country of residence.